Process control alarm systems are used in the area of factory automation. Specifically, process automation uses many process control alarms to inform operators that a process is within or has exceeded process control tolerance limits. A typical application in which a process control alarm system is employed is a styrene manufacturing plant. Within a styrene manufacturing plant, various manufacturing processes require machines and equipment, such as a feed tankage system, a furnace, a heat recovery system, one or more reactors, and a separator. The number of process control alarms constantly monitoring these machines in a styrene manufacturing plant ranges in the tens of thousands. Each process control alarm generally has at least one associated process control alarm variable.
In the past, alarm displays have been large boards with lights and labels, where an illuminated light or LED indicates which process control alarm has sensed a problem in the machine, or which machine in the factory is experiencing a problem. Today, a software interface to aid operators in understanding what is happening with one or many machines is used rather than the alarm board. Increasingly, a GUI (Graphical User Interface) is used as the human-to-machine interface because of its inherent ease of use and intuitive qualities. Through a GUI interface, process control alarm monitor variables are often capable of being set and monitored. These process control alarm monitor variables are linked one or more the feedback systems used in a process control system to make pseudo real-time analysis possible.
Two methods for configuring an alarm monitor system are off-line data file entry and on-line alarm selection. The off-line data file entry method requires an engineer or operator to manually determine alarms having relevance to a particular process control system. Once such relevant alarms are determined, associated alarm names (or respective alarm variable names) are typically typed into a text tile. Inherent in the off-line data file entry method is (i) a step of hand processing lists of possible relevant alarm names (or respective alarm variable names); and (ii) manually entering those names into the text file. The step of hand processing includes scanning and removing redundant alarms.
The on-line alarm selection method is more graphically oriented. However, a typical on-line alarm selection system requires a process control system to be operating during configuration, has limited dedicated alarm selection tools, and requires the same level of understanding of a process control system as the off-line method. Furthermore, in process control systems undergoing evolutionary changes, incorporating ne alarms mandates alarm monitor system reconfiguration, thereby causing either of the above methods to be repeated.
In yet another aspect of alarm systems, a typical alarm system supports a set of standard (absolute and deviation) alarm conditions associated with several control block types. These control block types cause a corresponding indication in associated loop and process displays whenever an alarm condition occurs. In some alarm monitor systems, log displays augment the process displays and list a history of all alarms that have occurred in some interval of time, subject to a selection filter.
Alarms are a main automation system vehicle for dealing with operations too abnormal for automated accommodations. A large fraction of the abnormalities are effectively unfamiliar to an operations and applications group. Some abnormalities are very mild, others are catastrophic. There are applications with thousands of potential alarms defined having hundreds of alarms active at any point in time, sometimes within a single causal shower.
A typical alarm system that provides alarm priority handling capabilities is inherently inadequate to support an operator in recognizing and coping with resulting abnormal or crisis situations. This is true under the best human factors support and applications design. An interest in operating with fewer operators places that much more of a load on the reduced number of operators, exacerbating the problem.
Configuring input for an alarm monitor system of a small process control system is relatively easy. However, for a process control system having up to 200,000 alarms with 50,000 alarm variables, the configuration alarm selection process is overwhelming. Off-line, manual, alarm configuration entry is ill-suited for large systems, and on-line alarm configuration entry typically takes an alarm system off-line during a reconfiguration. Reconfiguring an alarm system is time consuming and requires well-trained personnel.
The present invention provides an off-line visual configuration method and apparatus for an alarm monitor system. Operators perform high-level alarm selection functions on an off-line basis. A complete listing of alarms is presented to the operator, and several sophisticated, yet intuitive, graphically driven functions allow the operator to select a desired subset of alarms. The selected subset is stored as a configuration listing for an alarm monitor system.
Accordingly, one aspect of the invention concerns an alarm monitor visual configuration selection apparatus operating on a computer, which comprises an application window selection means and operation means. The application window has an alarm list for displaying a plurality of alarm indications. The selection means enables an operator to select desired properties of the alarm indications (e.g., character substrings). The operation means produces an alarm list subset having characteristics of the selected properties of the alarm indications. In a preferred embodiment, the application window has a first subwindow, a second subwindow, and a third subwindow. The first subwindow comprises the entire alarm list, the second subwindow comprises a temporary subset of the alarm list, and the third subwindow comprises a final subset of the alarm list. Furthermore, the alarm selection system comprises an input file having the entire alarm list, and an output file into which the final subset of the alarm list is stored. In the preferred embodiment, the input file and output file are text files, and the lists in each of the subwindows are arranged in alphabetical order.
The visual configuration provides a GUI (graphical user interface). The computer comprises a user input/output device, preferably a computer mouse, that is capable of being used to select portions of alarm indications displayed in at least one subwindow alarm list. The selected portions of alarm indications are highlighted in a GUI manner.
The invention further comprises several alarm list operation buttons in the application window. Selection of an operation button causes an underlying processor routine to operate on a subwindow alarm indication list, associated with the selected operation button, as a function of a user""s selection, if applicable, that are used to operate on a user""s selection. Boolean logic capabilities are incorporated into the underlying processor routines. The alarm list operation buttons include move, load, delete, keep, clear, and save alarm list operations. Each subwindow has at least one associated alarm list operation button.
In the preferred embodiment, the software used to accomplish workings of the system is a compiled, high level, programming language, such as xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d.
According to another aspect, the invention also features an alarm monitor visual configuration selection method operating on a computer. The selection method comprises the steps of (i) displaying an alarm list in an application window, (ii) receiving an input selection criteria, (iii) operating on the alarm list in response to the input selection criteria, and (iv) producing an alarm list subset having characteristics of the input selection criteria resulting from operating on the alarm list.
Also in the preferred embodiment, an application window that comprises three subwindows, which are arranged from left to right in the application window. The first (leftmost) subwindow comprises an alarm list. The second (middle) subwindow comprises a temporary subset of the alarm list. The third (rightmost) subwindow comprises a final subset of the alarm list. In the preferred embodiment, the step of displaying the alarm list includes arranging the alarm indications in each alarm list in a sensibly grouped order, preferably alphabetically. The selection method further comprises the steps of loading the alarm list from an input file and storing the final alarm list subset to an output file. The alarm lists are arranged in a sensibly grouped order in each subwindow, preferably in alphabetical order.
Furthermore, the selection method enables an operator to select alarm list text portions from the beginning, intermediate, or ending of alarm names (i.e., indications) in the alarm list. From a user""s selection, operation buttons associated with each respective subwindow operate on the entire alarm list, where wildcards are used in the operation. Multiple move operations from the first subwindow to the second subwindow, or the second subwindow to the third subwindow, result in an aggregate alarm subset list in the resulting subwindow. In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the alarm lists include icons, also representing alarms.
Another aspect of the present invention concerns another problem in the prior art. In previous alarm system analysis tools, each alarm is assigned a respective priority, independent of other alarms. Such non-relational single alarm priorities inadequately support an operator in analyzing an alarm shower to isolate or determine a causal event.
This aspect of the present invention provides alarm analysis tools that focus on improving both analysis and presentation of alarm information. The alarm analysis tools extend existing alarm log and filter philosophies to better support an operator in abnormal situations. Excepting a few alarms with well defined (but not automated) operating responses, most alarm activity occurs due to deficiencies in process automation and operator understanding. The alarm analysis tools overcome these deficiencies.
The alarm analysis tools cope with insufficiently understood process characteristics, requiring sensitivity to unusual behavior and rapid exploration and diagnosis. Accordingly, the alarm analysis tools are not overloaded with operating features. In particular, the tools do not address complex, configured, alarms-specific responses more appropriate for well-understood, systematic, plant automation. The configuration of the alarms and their associated displays are governed by generalized display policies applied to groups of alarms rather than individual alarms. This display policy approach supports quick, easy, transparent, operator action.
The alarm analysis tools support an operator at an operator console. They permit seeing alarms in a wider operational perspective, which minimizes tunnel vision. Hierarchical alarm summaries help in this regard. Based on automatically computed summary descriptions, higher level summaries are linked to lower level summaries. Grouping individual alarms significantly enhances alarm information value. Furthermore, the alarm analysis tools give the operator complete control over the level of alarm display detail while making his display choices and the consequences of any dynamic category selection for alarm filtering continuously apparent; the alarm analysis tools permit the operator to manage the alarms with less display noise overload. Therefore, the alarm analysis tools permit the operator to manage the alarms with less display noise overload.
Thus, another aspect of the present invention is a method for providing alarm information in a computer linked to an alarm system having electronic alarm messages. The method includes the steps of: (i) associating alarm indications with alarms, each alarm indication being a representation of an alarm message; (ii) providing a set of alarm categories having a hierarchy of subcategories, where each category includes a subset of logically related alarm indications; (iii) for the set of categories, providing a set of categorizations, where each categorization includes a subset of logically related alarm categories; (iv) receiving alarm messages from the alarm system and mapping each received alarm message to an alarm indication; (v) updating the categories and categorizations by a metric, as a function of the received alarm messages; and, (vi) displaying a subset of the categorizations in an organized and meaningful manner, thereby providing alarm information effectively to an operator.
A subset of alarm categories include patterns, where a pattern is defined as a sequence of alarm indications. Such a category is referred to as a pattern or pattern category. A subset of categories have associated policies, which are utilized by processor routines in analyzing and displaying alarm information. Furthermore, a subset of categories have associated priorities with respect to other categories, which are used by the processor routines for displaying the categorizations in an organized and meaningful manner.
The step of updating the categories and categorizations by a metric includes the steps of providing an alarm criteria for each alarm indication, providing each category and categorization with an alarm counter, and adjusting each alarm counter in response to a comparison operation. The comparison operation includes comparing an alarm message with its respective alarm criteria, where a subcategory directly including an alarm indication adjusts its alarm counter in response to the comparison operation. A hierarchically superior category adjusts its alarm counter on a per subcategory and per immediately included alarm indication basis.
The present invention comprises a step of determining a one word summary. Determining a one word summary includes the steps of: (i) determining a list of indicator categories, where an indicator category is a hierarchically highest level category in a display; (ii) scanning all subcategories of the indicator category; and, (iii) for each subcategory of each indication category, determining which subcategory alarm counter (i) equals the count of the indicator category, and (ii) whose overall counts has the smallest number of alarm indications. The one word summaries are preferably a subcategory descriptor or an alarm indication descriptor displayed near the indicator category. For a subset of the indicator categories, a highest level priority one word summary is also displayed near the indicator category.
In one embodiment, the step of updating further includes (i) providing a mask/filter selection referencing a subset of alarm indications, (ii) screening the received alarm messages according to the mask/filter selection, and (iii) applying the step of screening to the steps of both determining a one word summary and displaying a subset of the categorizations. In the preferred embodiment, a dynamic mask/filter criteria is used to provide dynamic analysis and display changes as a function of alarm conditions. Furthermore, for a set of operating range-type alarms, a set of ranges are dynamically adjusted in accordance with an alarm limit adaptation table.
In sets of displays and logs, the present invention also includes displaying alarm information in an organized and meaningful manner. A display is selected from a group including logs, battle ribbon alarm/event trends, alarm summary indicator matrices, and predictions/diagnostic displays. Side log displays further provide display capability of specific alarm information.
The present invention also enables a set of consoles to operate together. In one embodiment, each console has a specific mask/filter selection, but also includes specific mask/filter selections for each other console in the set. Enabling multiple mask/filter selections on a first console allows an operator, monitoring a second console whose mask/filter is enabled on the first console, to take a break while having his or her duties covered. In an alternate embodiment, each console has a specific mask/filter selection and shares the specific mask/filter selection with each other console in the alarm analysis tools console set through a console-to-console transfer. In yet another embodiment, a console specific mask/filter selection is transmitted to the alarm system to inhibit alarm messages from being transmitted, thereby sharing the console specific mask/filter with the plurality of operator consoles.
According to another aspect of the present invention, in a computer linked to an alarm system having electronic alarm messages, apparatus for providing alarm information includes: (i) a set of alarm indications associated with the alarm messages; (ii) a set of categories into which a subset of the alarm indications are grouped; (iii) a set of categorizations into which a subset of categories are grouped; and (iv) an interface, which receives the electronic alarm messages from the alarm system. The apparatus further includes a set of metrics associated with the categories and categorizations. A processor routine adjusts the set of metrics in response to the received alarm messages. Finally, there is a console display that displays a subset of the categorizations in an organized and meaningful manner, thereby providing alarm information to the operator.
The categories include a set of patterns, where each pattern defines a sequence of alarm indications. Also, categories include corresponding policies that affect alarm information analysis and display. The apparatus also includes a prioritizing processor routine that receives a set of priority rules from the policies and adjusts the set of priority metrics associated with the categorizations and categories. The processor routine presents a subset of categorizations as a function of the associated priority metrics in the display.
The apparatus further comprises a set of alarm criteria; a plurality of alarm counters, where each category and categorizations has an associated alarm counter; and a comparison routine. The comparison routine adjusts the alarm counters in response to comparing the associated alarm indications with the respective alarm criteria.
The console display facilitates displaying a set of one word summary subdisplays. A one word summary is preferably a subcategory descriptor or alarm indication descriptor for which a subcategory alarm counter (i) equals the count of the co-located category and (ii) whose overall counts has the smallest number of alarm indications. In the preferred embodiment, the apparatus further includes a set of one word summary priority subdisplays co-located with the categories, wherein a one word summary of a highest level priority is displayed.
The apparatus also includes a mask/filter selection. The comparison routine receives the mask/filter selection as an input parameter and applies the mask/filter selection when adjusting each alarm counter. In the preferred embodiment, the apparatus further includes a dynamic mask/filter criteria having a relevant association with the mask/filter selection. The comparison routine further receives the dynamic mask/filter criteria as an input parameter and applies the dynamic mask/filter criteria when adjusting each alarm counter. Also, the dynamic mask/filter criteria includes a dynamic alarm limit table. The comparison routine receives the dynamic alarm limit as an input parameter and applies the dynamic alarm limit table to adjust a set of ranges for a set of operating range-type alarms when determining whether to adjust each alarm counter.
The apparatus also includes an alphabetizing processor routine that receives a subset of alarm indications and outputs the subsets in alphabetical order. Alphabetizing the subset of alarm indications presents them in an organized and meaningful manner to the operator. The apparatus also includes a reference indicator for a subset of categorizations and categories, indicating a total number of associated received alarm messages and total number of filtered alarm messages. In one embodiment, masked/filtered categorizations, categories, and alarm indications are displayed in different desired shadings, colors, fonts, and type styles.
The apparatus further includes a computer input/output device coupled to the console display. The input/output device is the means through which an operator interacts with the alarm information. The display is in any one of several display formats, including logs, battle ribbon alarm/event trends, alarm summary indicator matrices, and predictions/diagnostic displays. Side log displays are used to display specific alarm information.
In an alternate embodiment, there is a set of consoles, wherein a mask/filter selection is specific for each console. In one embodiment, the consoles are in communication via their respective interfaces, thereby allowing alarm monitoring mask/filter selections to be shared among the set of consoles. In an alternate embodiment, the console interface communicates in bidirectional manner, allowing a console to transmit a console-specific mask/filter to the alarm system to inhibit the alarm system from transmitting alarm messages, thereby sharing the console-specific mask/filter with the plurality of operator consoles.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus interface receives a plurality of alarm messages in an alarm message frame. The alarm messages are parsed and mapped into the alarm indications by either the interface or a parsing routine. The alarm analysis tools further include an external configuration file having a plurality of initialization values for variables used.